This is a blog advocating the overturning and/or ignoring of the controversial IAU planet definition that demoted Pluto, the adoption of a broader planet definition that includes all dwarf planets, and the chronicling of worldwide efforts toward these goals.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Life, Art, and Pluto: Help Fund Pluto-Themed Independent Web Series

This goal of this blog is to focus on the arguments for Pluto retaining the status of planet, follow and support worldwide efforts toward this end, and report on Pluto-related cultural and marketing initiatives.

Today, I am going to focus on something fun and light-hearted: an independent web series in the making with a Pluto theme and how you can help this project succeed.

About two weeks ago, a friend from India and fellow Pluto advocate sent me a link to a fund-raising campaign on Seed and Spark, a fundraising site for independent filmmakers with a focus on fair trade. As an actress, I have met many terrific filmmakers outside of Hollywood with creative, innovative, and fun ideas who struggle to fund their projects. These filmmakers often have more freedom than the “major” Hollywood directors both in the storylines they create and in their casting choices.

The project my friend mentioned is a slapstick comedy/horror web series titled “Zompire Vixens from Pluto,” featuring half-zombie half-vampire residents of Pluto who come to Earth to implore the fictional scientist responsible for declassifying Pluto to change his mind. Interestingly, the Plutonian undead choose to land in Brooklyn, evoking a similar choice by Martians in the original “War of the Worlds.”

Stories of Martians invading Earth were very popular about 100 years ago, partly due to astronomer Percival Lowell’s claim that what he believed were “canals” on Mars had been built by intelligent Martians.

Only two days are left in the Seed and Spark campaign for this project, the brainchild of filmmaker Jenna Payne. Last night, I took part in a staged reading of six episodes of the series in New York, which was fun and well-received. Even if it’s just a small role, as an actress, I hope to be part of this project when it films this spring.

I encourage any readers who are fans of horror, slapstick comedy, “Rocky Horror” (this project has a very Rocky Horror type feel), or just science fiction focused on Pluto to contribute whatever you can to support this project. Seed and Spark gives only one month to fundraising campaigns, and that month is up in two days.

Check out http://www.seedandspark.com/studio/zompire-vixens-pluto for information on the web series and if you can, please donate even the smallest amount. The fact that a Pluto supporter in India found out about this shows just how far online influence can go. There are many Pluto supporters out there, and we can definitely make a difference in bringing this project to reality.

Remember, our support for Pluto is all about rallying behind the underdog!

About Me

I am a freelance writer and community activist who has worked on many progressive and Democratic political campaigns over the last 25 plus years and a lifelong resident of Highland Park, NJ. I have a BA in Journalism from Rutgers University, an MA in Middle East Studies from Harvard University, and an MEd in English Education from Rutgers Graduate School of Education. An enthusiastic amateur astronomer, I have just completed Swinburne University Astronomy Online's Graduate Certificate of Science in astronomy and am pursuing a Masters of Science in astronomy at Swinburne. I am also an actress with experience in theatre and film and have written a full length play. I am currently working full time on a book "The Little Planet That Would Not Die: Pluto's Story."